Americans continue to be suspicious of the Mormon religion. What has changed is not the amount of trepidation but rather the commitment to tolerance.
The 21st century American religious narrative contextualizes the embedded tenants of tolerance, compassion, and respect. Today, Americans are no longer threatened by religious ideas and streams that differ from the traditional and historical faiths. Globalization, the internet, and sectarian violence have succeeded in transforming the pillars of religious orthodoxy from preservation via intolerance to preservation via accommodation.
Religious differences are no longer viewed exclusively from the prism of doctrine and historical context. As a result, the various religious beliefs compete in the marketplace of faith experiences. Religious capitalism with the principles of supply and demand competes for the conversion of the masses.
The presidential candidacy of Governor Mitt Romney does not validate the Mormon religion. Governor Romney's candidacy validates the ideal of religious pluralism and accommodation. In addition, his candidacy demonstrates that Americans regard ones faith to be a personal matter, not a public exercise for affirmation.
Mormons, on the other hand, have successfully repackaged the faith to such an extent that many Americans believe that Mormons are a branch of the evangelical movement. This of course is of great surprise to the National Association of Evangelicals and to evangelicals at large. The vast majority of evangelicals still consider the Mormon faith to be a heretic deviation from biblical orthodoxy.
At the end of the day, the answer is that the Mormon religion has not entered mainstream America, but rather, mainstream America has infiltrated the Mormon religion.
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